Postcard of the Week – ‘Happiness’

Postcards of Hope is an art project aimed at encouraging people with experience of mental health needs to share words that they have found hopeful and healing during difficult times.

Often, these phrases are striking in their simplicity, highlighting the power of language and its ability to allow us to bear witness and describe moments of hardship.

Throughout the campaign, a number of cards have focused on perspective, such as Christopher’s card which reminded us that “even where there is poverty there is sunshine” and Denise’s ‘Depression’, which notes that “1 tiny step managed in the darkness is fantastic”.

Diane’s card ‘Happiness’ continues this theme, using a photograph taken at an unconventional angle to emphasise the need to see things in a new way. The card states that ‘Hope is looking out’, a thoughtful phrase, particularly in conjunction with the photo chosen.

This phrase hints at the internal conflict that many people with depression and other mental health needs feel at times, and the overwhelming sense of being trapped in one’s own internal world, unable to communicate one’s feelings with the outside world.

‘Happiness’ speaks to the importance of finding a new focus, an external “thing” to reach out to in order to overcome feelings of loneliness.

Black Rainbow author Rachel Kelly has described the sense of isolation that she has felt during times of depression, saying: “When I was awake in the dark hours of the night, and suffering from that sense of complete isolation that is at the heart of feeling depressed, I would repeat snatched lines [of poetry] to myself, prayer-like. I wasn’t alone after all.”

Hope, and the restorative powers of prose, allow us to let down the walls and embrace a new perspective.

If you have words that have brought you hope in difficult times, why not share them with us? Click here to find out more about the project and create your own Postcard of Hope.

The Government’s position on the interpretation of regulations around the National Living Wage is causing huge confusion. As a result the delivery of community based services, for people with learning disabilities, which are proven to work well, are under real threat.

As we mark World Mental Health Day today (10th October), there it much to celebrate. Mental health has made it to the top of the political agenda this week through people being willing to openly and honestly share their own experiences of living with mental illness, in order to create a better understanding of what mental illness is and to inspire change and encourage others living in similar circumstances.

It seems hard to believe that it was this time last year we were packing up boxes, printing hundreds of captions and liaising with some of the cities favourite art spaces to set up for our UK tour of Postcards from the Edges – but what a successful year it has been!

Earlier this week, the Department for Work and Pensions published a survey from 10,000 respondents which revealed that 68% of British people think that the public attitude towards disabled people has improved since the Paralympics.

To celebrate the book’s bestselling success we are launching a Twitter competition. All that you have to do to win one of 10 copies of the book is Retweet one of our competition Tweets, or write your own Tweet, but make sure you include the words Black Rainbow.

Become a support worker for United Response and help disabled people in their communities at home. You’ll help them cook, clean, pay bills, apply for jobs, make friends and a thousand things in between.

Easy News is the first news magazine designed to be accessible for people with learning disabilities, aimed to encourage discussion around news stories and keep readers informed about the world around them. Read the latest issue here.

We work with young people and adults with a wide range of learning disabilities across England and Wales. To plan the right kind of support, we work closely with each individual and the people who are important to them. In this way, they get the support they want, in the way they want.

ROC (Robert Owen Communities) has Wellbeing services in Devon and Cornwall, which we can support you to attend. ROC’s Wellbeing services offers you the opportunity to learn new and exciting skills and gain accredited learning qualifications at the same time.